Family: Wife Regina Cowles, mother Ginny Cowles, sister Cheryl Bentley
How long have you lived in Boulder? 33 years
Professional background: Environmental and civil rights lawyer
Political/community experience: Boulder City Council; Boulder Planning Board, chair; Boulder's representative to the Denver Regional Council of Governments; volunteer on many local and state campaigns; former chair of the Sierra Club Indian Peaks Group in Boulder County
Education: Yale, B.A.; University of Colorado, J.D.
Name a person you admire and explain why: Nelson Mandela, for holding to a vision of justice that survived 27 years in prison.
Issue question 1: Is a municipal utility the best way to meet Boulder's climate goals? What other measures would you support?
Yes. A municipal utility enables us to democratize, decentralize and decarbonize our energy supply. Further, Xcel takes $35 million annually from the community in profit and excessive overhead. With a muni, that money can be repurposed to achieve stable rates, double the amount of renewable energy, cut in half our carbon emissions and improve reliability. Other measures I support to meet our climate goals: increase the energy efficiency of commercial and owner occupied buildings, as we have done with residential rental properties, and; enable more 15-minute neighborhoods through land use regulation changes.
Issue question 2: Describe your budgetary priorities and how you would increase revenue for the city.
Budget priorities change from year to year, consistent with changing needs. We do this through a process adopted by the council in 2010 called Priority Based Budgeting, which results annually in a department by department view of the effectiveness of City programs in achieving economic, environmental and social sustainability. Currently, transportation and the general fund require more revenue. We on council have asked the citizens to support this by voting yes on four revenue measures: Ballot Question 2A (marijuana tax for the general fund), 2B (six year interim transportation tax), 2C (funding Open Space and general fund in perpetuity) and 2D (funding transportation from 2020-2029 and then the general fund from 2030-2029).
Issue question 3: What lessons can Boulder learn from the flood?
The lessons are very clear: First, flood mapping, mitigation and drainage projects reduce loss of life and property damage from floods. Second, it is important for the city to have cash in reserve to rebuild after unexpected calamity. Present and past councils and staff have supported mapping, mitigation and increasing reserves up to their present very healthy level, accounting for a AAA bond rating. Third, having all Boulder drainages flooding at once rearranges the priority of flood mitigation going forward, telling us where we should direct money for new projects.